Diagnostic imaging in athletes with chronic lower leg pain.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose is to describe the imaging features in athletes with chronic lower leg pain, emphasizing the role of MRI and CT, which are the diagnostic tools with the highest sensitivity and specificity in the differential diagnosis of lower leg pain. Moreover, a diagnostic algorithm in patients with chronic lower leg pain is proposed.


CONCLUSIONS
Plain radiography has a low sensitivity but may reveal tibial stress fractures, bone tumors, and soft-tissue calcification. CT and MRI may be useful to better evaluate the abnormalities shown by plain radiography.
Gaeta
Michele
M
Department of Radiological Sciences, University of Messina, Policlinico G. Martino, Via Consolare Pompea 1871, 98165, Messina, Italy.
Minutoli
Fabio
F
Mazziotti
Silvio
S
Visalli
Carmela
C
Vinci
Sergio
S
Gaeta
Felice
F
Blandino
Alfredo
A
D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*